Things Aren't Like This
by Firelordawesome123
Summary: A life where Lin and Tenzin aren't political figures in Republic City. Tenzin never became a councilmember and Lin never became a police officer.
1. Letters From Children

**Things Aren't Like This**

_If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world._

Summary: A life where Lin and Tenzin aren't political figures in Republic City. Tenzin never became a councilmember and Lin never became a police officer.

* * *

><p><strong>Oneshot Title: Letters From Children<strong>

Aang sat in his office, attempting to organize the piles of paperwork splattered all around his desk. It was useless, he thought, letting out a frustrated huff of breath, more paperwork will just pile onto this mess and create an even bigger mess than what had started. If it wasn't messages from Chief Haka and his reports about the Triple Threat Triad, who seemed to be on a vandalism spree this past week, then it was Chief Sokka and his latest update about a fresh group of villains around the Southern area. (Aang wasn't too worried about this group, for he had heard of them and is familiar with their leader, a young man called Zaheer, who seems harmless.) And, of course, once one dangerous group is defeated and put away, another one springs up into action. It's been the same since the beginning of time and, sadly, it will probably never change.

He looked up from the piles of paperwork to find his wife entering his office with a handful of rolled up scrolls. He let out a sigh and leaned back in his chair, awaiting the bad news that was coming for him. Katara must have picked up on what he was thinking, because when she dropped the scrolls on his desk, she gave a reassuring smile.

"Don't worry," she said, "these are good letters… I hope." Aang raised a curious eyebrow toward his wife before examining the papers for himself. "They're from your loving kids."

"How much does Bumi want this time," he joked and they both laughed as he opened the first scroll. "Fifty yuans… That's at least thirty percent less than what he asked for last time. Our little boy must be growing up." A smile formed on his face as he continued reading, "Oh, he's met a new girl… Tomo is her name, a dancer for the Earth Nation Flappers."

"Is he going to marry this one," she asked with a hint of frustration in her voice. Bumi has had numerous girlfriends all throughout his life, most of them his family has never met, and his mother is ready for her eldest child to retire from the United Forces and settle down with a nice girl and give her grandchildren.

"Who knows," Aang replied, ignoring his wife's frustration and moving on to the next scroll, this one from their daughter. "Ember Island is beautiful this time of year, she says. She's planning to visit Sokka next month… and Izumi says hello and sends well wishes to the family… that's sweet." He examined the letter carefully, "no new people in her life, it seems. No new boyfriends."

"Well, don't expect her to get right back out into the dating world," Katara warned, slapping his shoulder softly, "they only finalized their divorce a few months ago."

"If you ask me, she can do way better," he said, examining the letter one last time before placing it on top of Bumi's. "That Goro was a jerk… He treated her horribly. I'm just glad she finally came to her senses and kicked the idiot out."

Katara gave an agreeing nod and began rubbing her husband's shoulders as he moved on to the next letter. It was the only scroll sealed, with their youngest child's sealing wax of a leaf. Tenzin's letters were always so neatly made, with everything placed in the correct order, and were always the longest. By the look on her husband's face, Katara could tell he was looking forward to reading this letter. Carefully, Aang opened it and began reading it aloud:

"Dear mother and father, we arrived at the Southern Air Temple a few days ago. The nomads here are very kind, they gifted Lin with a bouquet of flowers from atop the highest mountain and I with an old traditional head shaver—I have no idea how to use it, but I guess it's the thought that counts, right? The weather here is so nice, it feels like we're on vacation! I know the kids all think that. Every morning we wake up at the crack of dawn and meditate, then we explore the temple's ancient artifacts—with the kids here, it feels like I'm discovering the old Air Nation stories all over again!

"Kita is doing very well in her airbending. She's very advanced for a six year old. I'd say she'll get her tattoos at the age of ten or eleven at the rate she's going. And Aki has mastered his Grandfather's famous marble trick—he's hovering above me as I write this, making sure I let you know.

"And even more good news from us, Lin has recently discovered we are going to be blessed with another little one this winter," Aang stopped reading to let his wife give out an excited squeal, then continued. "I hope this little one will be an eathbender, maybe then Toph will stop complaining about having Twinkle Toed Juniors as grandchildren.

"Speaking of the Beifongs, did you hear Su is getting married in the spring? To that architect that helped her build Zaofu, I think. Toph told us last month during one of her rare visits to our home. Apparently the only reason she came was to be Su's messenger. Su wants Kita to be her flower girl and Aki to be the ring boy, and of course have Lin be her matron of honor. Personally, I think this would be a good time for the kids to get to know their Aunt Su, but Lin refuses to play any part in her sister's wedding and kicked Toph out immediately. Lin refuses to talk about it any further.

"Hopefully when we visit you in a few months, we can all sit down and discuss everything. Maybe you could put some sense into my stubborn wife and get her to talk to her sister—don't tell her I said that. I hope all is well with the city and the world. Lin, Kita, Aki and I send our love and hope to see you soon."

"Another baby," Katara said with excitement, hugging her husband. "I need to get my sewing kit out and make a blanket… Should I make it green, since he said they were wanting an earthbender? Kita's and Aki's are yellow. I'll make it green and surprise them!"

Katara ran out of the room faster than an airbender flying a bison. Aang only smiled and placed the letter on top of his other children's letters. He turned to Officer Haka's latest report, three Triple Triad's in jail and the rest in the streets creating chaos. "Well, at least I know I'm doing something right."

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><p><em>A quick summary: Things are still same, only different. Lin never joined the police force (never got her scars), and so she devoted her free time to Tenzin, who never got into politics. This resulted in them marrying at a young age (Tenzin 22, Lin 21). They were blessed with a daughter named Kita and then, a year later, a son named Aki. Su still got into trouble with the law and left Republic City and Lin still resents her for being a criminal and resulting in Toph's early retirement. <em>

This will mainly revolve around Lin and Tenzin, but there will be future oneshots with Korra and the other characters, that is if you like it enough for me to continue.


	2. Mothers and Daughters

**Things Aren't Like This**

_If we find ourselves with a desire that nothing in this world can satisfy, the most probable explanation is that we were made for another world._

Summary: A life where Lin and Tenzin aren't political figures in Republic City. Tenzin never became a councilmember and Lin never became a police officer.

* * *

><p><strong>Oneshot Title: Mothers and Daughters<strong>

_A year or two after the first oneshot._

Toph made her way through the busy neighborhood. The young children running in the streets, creating chaos with their wild antics, reminded her of the days when she ran through the streets of the Fire Nation scamming civilians out of their funds. Those were the good days, she thought. These kids playing silly, little tricks on each other know nothing about scamming. She suspects she'll have to come back later and teach these kids a few things, but for now she's off to visit her daughter.

A bison sat in their front yard, laying under a large tree to keep cool from the hot sun. She walked up to the front door and knocked. A tall man in red and yellow robes answered, two children dressed in identical airbending clothing stood behind him.

"Hey, Junior," Toph said, inviting herself in. Their house was big, two stories. Their furniture, colors of green and yellow, was a mixture between air nation antiques and Beifong family heirlooms. "Lin home?"

"Oh, um, hello… Toph," he said awkwardly. "Yes, she's in our room with the baby. The children and I were just on our way to the Air Temple to visit dad… Please take a seat," he said, gesturing toward their couch. "Would you like some tea?"

"Nah," she answered, sitting down and putting her feet on the coffee table. "Why did you guys move here anyway? What was wrong with your old apartment in the city? I liked that place. It was on the second floor, easy to get to, and you didn't have to walk so far to get there."

"Well, our apartment in the city only had two rooms… and with Tama's arrival, it got a bit crowded," Tenzin explained, politely removing Toph's feet from his table. "It was lovely to see you, Toph, but I'm afraid we really must go."

"Bye, grandma," the children said in unison as they made their way out of the house. Toph waved goodbye to her grandchildren before placing her feet back on the table.

"Tenzin," her daughter's voice called. "Have you left yet?"

"You just missed him," Toph called back.

Her daughter hurried into the living room, surprised. "Mother," Lin said, arms crossed, "what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Can't a mother visit her daughter in her suburban neighborhood and not have her think something's up?"

"Not when you're the mother," Lin said, pushing Toph's feet of the table once again. "What's up?"

"Nice place you got here," she said, her blind eyes viewing the living room. "How much was it? Ten… twelve thousand yuans?"

"Less than that, I assure you," Lin answered plainly, sitting on the chair beside the couch.

"Who lent you the money for it, anyway? You could barely afford the old place," Toph asked casually, her hand moving up to her nose. She flicked a booger out of her nose and onto the ground.

"Aang and Katara helped us out with the payment, if that's what you're asking," she said, a frustrated sigh leaving her mouth. "Is this why you came here, to bring up our lack of money?"

"I was just wondering when you'd be heading back to work, that's all," Toph explained.

"And what work would that be?"

"Well, you were eighteen and in the police academy training to be a cop… six months later you quit to go on some trip with Tenzin," she said, her arms resting behind her head and her feet back on the table.

"It's a little late to be a cop, isn't it," Lin retorted with a huff. "Plus, I'm not planning to go back to work anytime soon… We promised to pay Aang and Katara back and we will…" A cry from the other room interrupted her. "Once things calm down a bit," she added, leaving the room and returning with a baby.

"She's getting big," Toph said with a smile, lifting her hands up for Lin to pass the baby over to her.

"She took her first steps the other day… refuses to walk ever since," Lin explained, passing the baby off to her mother. "Listen, mom, you don't need to worry. Tenzin's job pays fine and in a few years I'll be working, probably at some desk job or something, and we'll be fine."

"I talked to Su," Toph casually mentions as she bounces her granddaughter on her knee, "and she says she could use some help running Zaofu."

Lin let out an aggravated grunt. "You know, its times like this that really make me wish you could see, so you can see my eyes roll!"

"I'm just saying, you haven't seen her since she left Republic City," she said, playfully lifting the baby up and down from her lap, "maybe it's time for you two to kiss and make up. You can probably convince her not to name her first child _Bataar Junior_… I know I can't!"

"I'm not going to Zaofu, mom," Lin told her, "and I don't want to see Su anytime soon."

"Oh, get that stick out of your butt and talk to your sister," she said. "You're the only one holding on to this family drama nonsense… Even Tenzin wants you to see her! C'mon, just think about it, okay?" The baby in her arms started to cry. "Lin… there's something wrong with your child."

"She probably needs to be changed," she said, grabbing her daughter and making her way to the other room. She stopped at the doorway and turned to her mother. "If I think about seeing Su, will you stop bugging me about it?"

"We'll see," Toph answered.


End file.
